Fluid operated vibrating massage bladder



April 3, 1962 P. DARPHIN FLUID OPERATED VIBRATING MASSAGE BLADDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1959 April 3, 1.962 P. DARPHIN 3,027,893

FLUID OPERATED VIBRATING MASSAGE BLADDER Filed April 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,027,893 FLUID OPERATED VIBRATING MASSAGE BLADDER Pierre Darphin, 15 Rue du Maine, Asnieres, France Filed Apr. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 803,464 Claims priority, application France Apr. 9, 1958 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-64) This invention relates to appliances for external treatment of the human body, the term external treatment being used in this specification and claims to designate both treatments having a strictly medical or therapeutic purpose, as well as related treatments including massage, beauty-parlor treatments, and the like.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel appliance simple and inexpensive to construct, convenient and practical to operate, and applicable to a great varietyof beneficial treatments in the therapeutic and related arts.

In a broad aspect of the invention, the novel appliance may comprise at least one bladder or bag element made of flexible sheet material impervious to fluid, having a surface adapted for contact with the part of the body to be treated, and fluid inlet and outlet means connecting with another surface of said element for passing fluid therethrough in such a manner as to vibrate said first surface.

Most conveniently, the fluid used is ordinary tap water, and means are preferably provided for supplying said inlet with both hot and cold water from the hot and cold water taps of an ordinary bathroom installation.

Preferably the surface portion of the bladder-like element which is to contact the body is made thinner than the remaining portion of the elements. The inlet and outlet orifices are preferably spaced a suitable distance apart to produce the desired vibratory action, and experience has shown that a convenient range of spacing therebetween is from about 1 to about 2 inches.

The invention further contemplates a bladder-like appliance for the purpose above specified, comprising two wall portions of sheet rubber or rubber-like composition, bonded together peripherally by vulcanization or a similar treatment, inlet and outlet connections in one wall portion, and attaching straps extending from opposite ends of the appliance.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the particular description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 depicts an appliance according to the invention including bladder means of a form more particularly designed for facial treatment, and

FIGURE 2 illustrates a form of bladder element usable in the appliance of the invention for pectoral treatment.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is provided according to this invention an improved treating or massaging appliance which comprises a bladder-like element or bag generally designated 9, and formed of a fluid-tight flexible sheet material such as rubber or a rubber-like composition. In the form here illustrated where the element 9 is adapted for application across the face of a subject to be treated, the element is of elongated form. Desirably the element 9 may comprise two wall portions of sheet rubber of unequal thickness, that Wall portion 11 which is to constitute the underside of the bag and is to contact the patient being thinner than the top wall portion 10 that is to be connected to the water flow circuit. In one desirable form the under Wall 11 is made 0.4 mm. thick while the upper wall 10 may be about 1 mm. thick. The two wall portions 10 and 11 are bonded along their peripheral margin as by vulcanizing. Extending from the opposite ends of the element are a pair of flaps or straps 15 and 16, which may likewise be made of rubber or the like and serve to attach the element in position on the user.

While any convenient means of attachment may be used, the body straps are here shown as formed with sets of aligned eye-holes 18 and 19 which are adapted to be secured to each other in overlapping relationship through suitable buttons or studs. It will be understood that the lengths of the straps 15 and 16 and the number of rows of eye-holes therein may be varied depending both on the size of the subject for whom the appliance is mtended, and on the particular part of the body which the appliance is to treat. Thus, where the device is intended for abdominal or liver rather than facial treatment, the straps 15 and 16 would be provided substantially longer than shown so as to be capable of surrounding the patients waist.

Formed in the upper wall 10 of the bladder-like element 9 are a pair of spaced openings 12 and 13 in which suitable unions or nipples are inserted for removable or, as shown, permanent connection thereto of respective flexible pipes 14 and 8. Pipe 8 is a supply pipe through which Water is delivered into the bladder by way of the inlet opening 13, while pipe 14 is an exhaust line through Which the water is discharged from thebladder by way of outlet opening 12. While various relative positions may be used for the openings 12 and 13, it is found that good results are had when the said openings are positioned generally centrally of the long dimension of the bladder and spaced transversely across it, by a distance of about 40 millimeters.

As shown, the inlet line 8 is arranged to be supplied with warm or lukewarm tap water derived from the hot and cold water taps by way of a hot-and-cold water mixer unit 3. The T-shaped mixer unit 3 has one side connectable by way of a rigid union 1 and a clamp 2 with the hot-water tap of a bathtub or Washbasin, and its other side connectable by way of a flexible pipe 4, union 5 and clamp 6 with the cold-water tap. The outlet 7 of the mixer is connected with the supply line 8 leading to the bladder element. In one constructional form the inlet line 8 is cm. long, and its inner and outer diameters are 8 and 12 mm. The discharge line 14 should be somewhat larger in diameter than the inlet line. In the exemplary construction its inner and outer diameters are 12 and 14 mm. Its length is about cm. for conveniently leading it to a disposal point such as a bathtub or other sink.

In use, the bladder element 9 is attached across the subjects face in a desired position by means of the straps or tabs 15 and 16 buttoned or otherwise secured behind the su'bjects head, tight enough to exert some pressure. With the hot and cold water adjusted to provide a flow of Water at a desired moderate temperature and pressure through the mixer 3 and supply line 8, the water flow fills the bladder 9 and flows out by way of discharge line 14, inflating the bladder. It is found that with the constituents of the apparatus suitably dimensioned, generally as described herein, the water flow is operative to generate rapid vibrations which in turn exert an effective massaging action, the beneficial character of which is enhanced by the temperature at which the bladder is maintained by the water flow. The dimensioning of the parts required to produce the vibratory action described is found to be not too critical in view of the relatively wide range of pressures that can generally be obtained by suitable adjustment of the Water taps of an ordinary bathroom installation.

FIGURE 2 illustrates in part a modified form of appliance suitable for massage of the breasts. In this form of the invention there are provided two similar bladderlike elements 20 and 21 of circular form interconnected by straps 22-23 the eflective combined length of which is preferably adjustable as by a conventional slider arrangement. Extending from the outer sides of the two bladder elements are the straps 24 and 25 attachable behind the users back to secure the appliance in position. Each bladder element 20 and 21 is provided with its inlet and outlet connection as shown. Means, not illustrated, .are provided for connecting both inlets and outlets in parallel in a water-flow circuit generally similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 for simultaneously delivering tap water at equal flow rate and temperature through both elements. In this form of the invention as in the first form described, each bladder element is preferably made from two sheets of sheet rubber bonded by vulcanization around their margins, the lower sheet i.e. the one contacting the body being preferably about 0.4 mm. thick.

It will be understood that the forms of the invention shown and described are exemplary but in no way restrictive. The novel appliance of the invention has been found to produce highly beneficial results in connection with the external treatment of various parts of the human body, including abdomen, liver, and other internal organs. The shape and size of the bladder element or elements used in each case may be adapted to the particular treatment desired, and hence may difier from the shape and size of either form of elements shown in the drawings. Yet other modifications may be made. Thus, in an appliance of the general type shown in FIGURE 1, more than one inlets and outlets may be provided if desired.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for the external treatment of the human body comprising a bladder of flexible material having inner and outer walls secured together at their peripheries to define an interior therebetween, said inner wall being intended for contact with the portion of the body to be treated and having a thickness which is :smaller than the thickness of 'said outer wall, means for continuously supplying water at a uniform rate and having an unrestricted opening into the interior of said bladder through said outer wall, and means for discharging water directly from said interior of the bladder also through said outer wall so that a continuous circulation of water is maintained through said interior of the bladder, said means for discharging water having a greater cross-sectional area than said means for supplying water and the relative crosssectional areas of said means for supplying and discharging water cooperating with said relative thicknesses of said inner and outer walls to effect rapid vibrations of said inner wall in response -to the circulation of water through said .interior of the bladder ata substantially constant flow rate and pressure.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said outer wall of the bladder has an inlet-orifice and an outlet orifice therein through which said means for supplying water and said means for discharging water respectively communicate with said interior of the bladder, and said inlet and outlet orifices have their centers spaced apart by a distance of from approximately 1 inch to approximately 2 inches.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1; further comprising bands for securing said bladder on the body .to be treated; and wherein the peripheries of said inner and outer walls are secured together by vulcanizing and ends of said bands are also vulcanized to said peripheries of the walls at opposed locations.

4. Apparatus as in claim .1; wherein said inner wall has a thickness of approximately 0.4 mm. and said outer wall has a thickness of approximately 1.0 mm., and said means for supplying water and for discharging water are in the form of flexible tubes having internal diameters of approximately 8.0 mm. and 12.0 mm. respectively, and opening into said interior of the bladder through said outer wall at locations spaced apart by a distance of approximately 40.0 mm.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 1,253,233 Guilford Ian. 15,, 1918 1,634,873 Horn'an July 5, 1927 2,260,134 Ba'llman Oct. 12, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 389,038 Great Britain Mar. 9, 1933 

